Cigar-case.



L. D. MARTIN.

CIGAR CASE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. 1916.

1,222,435, Patented Ajin10,1917.

M i M 0 f W LEONARD D. MARTIN, OF I'IARINETTE, WISCONSIN.

CIGAR-CASE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Apr. 110 rear.

Application filed September 6, 1916. Serial No. 118,736.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD D. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marinette, in the county of Marinette and State of Wisconsin, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Cigar- Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cigar cases and has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and durable case by the use of which cigars may be carried in a pocket without any liability to be crushed. A further object of the invention is to provide a cigar case in which the cigars may be held out of contact and into which they may be inserted or from which they may be with drawn as readily and conveniently as if they were merely deposited in the pocket of a garment. A further object of the invention is to provide a case which may collapse into compact form when empty.

The several stated objects of the invention and other incidental objects, which will appear in the course of the following description, are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigar case embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the case collapsed.

In carrying out my invention, I employ two inclosing members 1, which may be constructed of any light and durable material, such as sheet metal, celluloid, or similar substances. These inclosing members are crimped or corrugated longitudinally so that when the members are placed together with the troughs of the corrugations facing, as shown clearly in the drawings, compartments 2 will be formed in which the individual cigars may be placed. The members may be of any desired size so as to accommodate any preferred number of cigars and also to conform to the particular shape or style of cigar which is fancied by the user. When the case is empty, it may be collapsed with the corrugations meshing or nesting, as shown in Fig. 4, so that it will be very compact and will occupy very little space in a pocket. To avoid injury to the cigars as they are being placed in or removed from the case, the upper edges of the inclosing members are rolled or beaded, as shown at 3, so as to provide convex surfaces over which the cigars may be passed without any liability to injury and, to prevent tearing or other injury to the pocket or the lining of the same, the lower edges of the retaining members are slightly crimped inwardly, as shown at 4, so as to provide outer convex surfaces which may be readily passed over the fabric of the pocket. The members are free of each other throughout their extent but are connected by a yieldable, flexible member 5 consisting preferably of a resilient wire bent into Ushape and having its arms disposed within the outer grooves defined by the corrugations of the cigar engaging members. The said arms are indicated at 6 and it will be readily noted that they are of appreciable length so that they will impart. great flexibility and pliability to the device, the arms being secured at their on tremities only by having the said extremities inserted through eyes 7 struck up from the retaining members. The extremities may be soldered or otherwise permanently attached to the members so that they will not readily withdraw from the struck up eyes or loops. A single connecting member will ordinarily sul'iice to hold the cigar inclosing or retaining members in their proper relation, but I prefer to employ two connecting members, as illustrated in the drawings, and apply the said members to the case at equal distances from the central longitudinal line thereof.

It is thought that the advantages of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, upon reference to Fig. 2 of which it will be readily noted that the arms of the connecting springs are out of contact with the memhers 1 except at their ends when the said members 1 are in their normal parallel relation. If it be desired to fill the case with cigars the ends of the cigars are inserted between the upper edges of the inclosing members and then pushed down between the the same. When the end of a cigar is inserted between the members 1 the ends or edges of said members will readily yield to the cigar so that they will'move apart sufiiciently to permit the cigar to be inserteol without any injury to its wrapper and as the cigar progresses into the case the members will assume a parallel relation and will be maintained in that relation and in contact with the opposite sides of the cigar by the springs 5. It will be readily noted that the resilient flexible connection between the cigar engaging members iming or otherwise injuring the cigars. hen

it is desired to remove a cigar, the upper butt end of the same may be readily grasped and withdrawn without disturbing any of the other cigars or requiring the withdrawal of the case from the pocket. By setting the sides or arms of the connecting springs in the outer grooves of the case they are housed so as to be protected against injury and also prevented from catching into and tearing the material of the pocket.

When the case is collapsed, the springs will be placed under torsional strain by having its branches moved laterally in respect to each other as will be readily understood 011 reference to Fig. 4. The tendency of the springs then is to separate the members of the case so that the placing of the cigars therein will be facilitated.

The device may be ornamented in any desired manner and as it will be exceedingly light it will not distort the pocket or cause any discomfort to the user.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A cigar case comprising a pair of longitudinally corrugated inclosing members,

and yicldable connecting devices secured to the outer sides of the inclosing members between the corrugations of the same where by when the case is collapsed the said devices will seat in the spaces between the corrugations and the ridges of the corrugations in one member will seat in the troughs of the corrugations in the other member.

2. A cigar case comprising a pair of cigar inclosing members, and yieldable connecting devices secured to the outer sides of said members and passing across the members at one end thereof, said members being otherwise free and independent of each other throughout their extent.

A cigar case comprising a pair of cigar inclosing members, and a U-shaped spring having its arms disposed on the outer sides of said members and having their extremities secured to said members but being othervise free of the same.

4. A cigar case consisting of a pair of cigar inclosing members having eyes on their outer sides, and a U-shaped spring extending across the members at one end thereof and having its arms disposed at the outer sides of said members and their extremities secured in said eyes.

5. A cigar case consisting of a pair of longitudinally corrugated members having the troughs of their corrugations opposed, and Ushaped springs having their arms disposed at the outer sides of the said mem bers between the corrugations of the same and secured at their extremities to said members.

6. A cigar ase comprising a pair of cigar inclosing members having their upper edges curved outwardly and their lower edges curved inwardly, and flexible connections between said members.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

LEONARD D. MARTIN. 1 5.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

